It is known that Louis Doyen of Lyon, France, alone and with others has obtained a series of patents pertaining to the manufacture of plastic stand-up pouches and the pouches themselves, which are used primarily for beverages. In the U.S.A., one well known brand of product is the Capri Sun.RTM. line of juice drinks made and distributed by Kraft Inc. The products sold under this trademark are individual servings of a juice drink in a sealed pouch. A plastic wrapped pointed straw is removably adhered to the package of juice. In order to access the contents of the pouch, one unwraps the straw, and carefully pierces the packaging at a predefined location, wherein the outer layer of the multilayer package has already been die cut utilizing the pointed end of the straw. Usually the tip of the straw will pierce the "exposed" aluminum foil and the plastic layer there beneath. Attempts to pierce the package at other locations than the pre-defined one are usually not successful due to the tough outer layer of plastic employed for these pouches.
The technology of these pouches is disclosed and claimed in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ L. Doyen et al 3,192,095 6/29/65 Boquet & Doyen 4,023,700 5/17/77 Aquetant & Doyen 4,010,786 3/8/77 Doyen & Doyen 3,935,993 2/3/76 Doyen & Doyen 3,637,133 2/25/72 Doyen 3,583,132 6/8/71 Doyen 3,514,061 5/26/70 Doyen et al 3,380,646 4/30/68 ______________________________________
Of course other people have made advances in the pouch and closure art as well. Thus applicant is also aware of U.S. Patents issued to:
______________________________________ Weikert 3,783,920 1/6/74 Murray 4,658,434 4/14/87 Hoyt 4,732,299 3/22/88 Chatourel 5,094,367 3/10/92 ______________________________________
None of the references known to applicant, either alone or in combination, anticipate the claims herein or render them obvious.
It is an object therefor of this invention to provide a new closure for self-standing pouch containers.
It is another object to provide a closure for pouch type containers that can be heat sealed into position.
It is a further object to provide a fitment portion of a closure for a pouch such that the pouch can be refilled if desired.
It is a yet further object to provide both one and two piece fitments that incorporate a straw thereon.
It is a still further object to provide a closure for a pouch which can be positioned at various locations on the pouch, including top, side, and angularly between the top and side.
It is an additional object to provide a pouch closure with an integrated cap.
It is a yet further object to provide a pouch closure that includes a straw and which closure includes an integrated cover over the straw portion thereof.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features, properties, and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.